Propeller.



E. A. RICHTER.

PROPELLER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 23, 1910.

Patented Dec. 9, 1913.

, 2 BEEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES:

a N}! TOR Atty aaw

coLuMnq PLANOGRAIH CD-IWASHINOTON, n. c,

E. A. RIGHTER.

PROPELLER.

APPLICATION TILED APR. 23, 1910.

Patented Dec. 9, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHIET 2.

WITNESSES:

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH COHWASIHNUTDN. D. c.

TIN E i l who SATES ATENT @FIQE.

PROPELLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented D co. 9, 191 3.

Application filed April 23, 1910. Serial No. 557,240.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD A. RICHTER, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, a citizen of the United States, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Propellers, of which improvements the following is a specification.

The invention described herein relates to certain improvements in propellers of the type or kind described and claimed in an application Serial No. 518926 filed by me, August 21, 1909. As shown and described in said application the propeller consists of a driving member and one or more blades or wings movable transversely of the axis of rotation whereby each end of each of the blades or wings becomes effective during a portion of its movement, while during the remainder of its movement around the axis such end becomes practically ineffective.

The present invention has for its object a construction in which an operative or pressure surface is extended outwardly from the driving member while the portion carrying such surface is moving through the operative arc of its rotation or in a direction the reverse of that in which the body carrying the propeller is to be moved. During the remaining portion of the circle in which the driving member moves, the area of the operative or pressure surface is reduced to a minimum by rolling, folding, collapsing or in any other suitable manner.

The specific embodiment of my invention shown and described in the application referred to, consists generally stated in a driven drum, in which two or more blades or wings having a length equal to three times the radius of the drum more or less, are so mounted as to be capable of longitudinal movement through the drum. Suitable means are shown and described whereby the wings are so shifted during the rotation of the drum that when one end portion of the blade is moving in a direction the reverse of that in which the vehicle carrying the propeller is to be moved, such end portion will extend radially from the drum, while the remaining portions of the blade or wing are inclosed within the drum.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification Figure 1 is a plan View of my improved propeller. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the same; Figs. 3 and l are sectional views on planes indicated re spectively by the lines III-III and IV-IV Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a sectional detail on an enlarged scale showing the outer end of the wing, Figs. 6 and 9 are views similar to Fig. 3 illustrating certain modifications; Figs. 7 and 8 are sectional detail views on an enlarged scale of the construction shown in Fig. 6; Figs. 10 and 11 are detail views on an enlarged scale of the construction shown in Fig. 9.

In the construction described herein I employ a skeleton or frame which is provided with journals or trunnions 2 to which, one or both, power is applied to rotate the skeleton or frame. The side bars 3 of the frame are provided on their inner surfaces with guide grooves and the end pieces 4; are slotted so as to permit of the longitudinal reciprocation of the skeleton element or member 5 whereby the operative or pressure surfaces are shifted or controlled. This shifting or controlling element or member is in the construction shown made rectangular with its side bars mounted in the grooves in the side bars 3 of the driving member, so that when shifted as hereinafter described the element or member will be moved through the slots in the end pieces 4L of the driving member. This longitudinal movement of the surface extending element or member may be effected in any suitable manner as I for example by the means shown and described in the application referred to, consisting of tracks or curved guides 6 so constructed and disposed relative to the axis of rotation of the driving frame as to engage and shift the surface extending element relative to the driving frame as hereinafter described.

As shown in Figs. 2, 3, and l the operative surfamzs 7, 7 may be made of cloth or other flexible material. When in operative position these surfaces extend from the driving frame to that end of the surface extending element 5 most distant from the axis of rotation filling the portion of the skeleton element extending beyond the driving frame, and. when in inoperative condition the surfaces are rolled on rollers S, 8 mounted on one of the parts by which the surfaces are extended and reduced. In the construction shown the rollers 8, S have their journals mounted in suitable bearings adjacent to the ends of the extending or spreading element 5. These rollers are provided with sprocket wheels 9 around which pass chains 10. One

end of each of these surfaces is attached to a roller and the opposite ends to the driving frame preferably adjacent to its ends. The surfaces are preferably stiffened by transverse ribs 11 of metal or other suitable mate rial and are strengthened as against stretching by bands 12 as shown in Fig. 2. To prevent the surfaces from twisting or shifting to an angular position relative to the plane of the extending element, the side bars of the latter are provided with grooves 13 for the reception of the edges of the surfaces or the projecting ends of the ribs 11.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 it will be readily understood that when the extending element 5 is shifted by engagement of one end of the latter with the guides 6 the opposite end of said element will be forced outalong the driving frame and as one end of its surface 7 is attached to said frame the cloth will be unrolled from its roller 8*. The rotation thus imparted the roller 8 will be transmitted by the chains 10 to the other roller 8 but in such direction as to wind upon it, the surface 7 as the end of the element 5 moves in toward the axis of rotation. In lieu of making the operative or pressure surfaces continuous as stated they may be made in sections which when in inoperative position will nest or fold upon or along side of one another as shown in Figs. 6 to 11.

In Figs. 6, 7 and 8 the surfaces are formed of narrow strips or slats 14: of metal or other suitable material. The outer strips of each series are connected to the end bars of the reciprocating element or member 5 and the inner strips to the driving frame. The strips are provided with suitable means as the hooks 15 to engage adjacent strips so as to form when extended continuous surfaces and to permit of the strips nesting along side of one another when the element or member 5 is shifted. It is preferred that each. of the slats should be provided with pins 16 projecting into the guide grooves 13 in the side bars of the sliding element or member 5.

In Figs. 9, 10 and 11 the slats 14 are shown as pivotally connected along their edges the inner and outer slats being attached to the end bars of the sliding element or member 5 and to the driving frame respectively. At alternate joints the pintles 17 are made of such a length as to project into the grooves 13 of the side bars of the extending member 5 as shown in Figs. 10 and 11.

It is characteristic of my improvement that the operative or pressure surfaces are reduced in area when passing through the inoperative arc of their rotation and are increased in area when passing through the operative arc. These changes of area are not relative but positive and are due to movements of portions of such surfaces relative to other portions. Hence while the constructions herein shown and described are believed to be highly effective the inven* tion is not limited as regards the broad terms of the claims to such specific constructions as other constructions will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invent-ion.

I claim herein as my invention:

1. A propeller having in combination a driving member, a rigid skeleton element movably mounted in the driving member, a filling for the skeleton element variable in area by movement of said element.

2. A propeller having in combination a driving member, a rigid skeleton element mounted in the driving member, means for longitudinally shifting the said element whereby its opposite ends are caused to extend alternately beyond the driving member, fillings for the skeleton element oppositely variable in areas by the movement of the element.

3. A propeller having in combination a plurality of wings or blades having collapsible pressure or operative surfaces, means for moving such surfaces radially to vary their areas and means engaging the edges of the variable surfaces for maintaining the latter in planes substantially at right angles to the direction of rotation of the propeller.

A. A propeller having in combination a driving member, a skeleton element, means for shifting said element longitudinally of the driving member, fillings for said element, and a common means for simultaneously varying the areas of oppositely disposed fillings said means being operative by the skeleton element in its movements.

5. A propeller having in combination a plurality of wings or blades having variable pressure surfaces and a common positive operating means for radially increasing and decreasing respectiv-ely'the areas of oppositely disposed surfaces.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

EDWARD A. RICHTER. Witnesses ALIcn A. TRILL, VIOLET VANNORMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents, 

